Thread-parting mechanism for looms



W. L. BAHRELL. THREAD PARTING MEcHANlsM FOR, Looms.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2, 1915.

Patented May 18, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ffl.

W. L. BARR-ELL.

THREAD PAHTING MECHANISM FQR Looms.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2, 1915.

WILLIAM L. BARR-ELL, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

THREAD-PARTING MECHANISM FOB. LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Application filed August 2, 1915. Serial No. 43,085.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM L. BARRELL, a citizen of the United -States, and resident of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful .improvements in Thread-Parting Mechanism for Looms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to weft-replenishing looms, and especially to looms of the type illustrated and described in my copending application filed May 22, 1914, Serial No. 840,206. My said copending application includes thread-parting mechanism arranged to part the thread which runs from the fabric to the spent shuttle, and the thread-parting mechanism of the present application is provided for the same purpose as that in my former application.

in order to indicate clearly the improvements shown in the present application, will premise the description thereof with a brief description of the thread-parting mechanism in my former application. rlhe spent shuttle is taken from the shuttle box of the lay by ai carrier which carries it to a position adjacent loading mechanism by which a filled bobbin is placed in it and by which the spent bobbin is forced out through the bottom of the shuttle through the depressing` action of the filled bobbin. ln the former application the thread-parting device is located so as to cut the thread ruiming from the fabric to the spent shuttle at a point close to the latter, with the result that the weft end which remains attached to the fabric is comparatively long and is left free to become entangled with the loom and possibly with other threads. Sometimes the thread, because of sagging between the fabric and the spent shuttle, would fail to move into the range of the parting device, and the spent bobbin would remain connected with the fabric in conse` Quenceof such failure, after having been discharged from the shuttle.

In order to overcome these difficulties, I have arranged the present thread-parting mechanism nearer the fabric and have nprovided thread-engaging means arranged to move the thread into the range of action of the parting device in such manner that there will not be any possibility of failure in parting the thread. I have also provided a thread-clamping device which is arranged to clamp the thread between the fabric and the thread-parting device and which holds the weft end that remains attached to the fabric, so that such weft end will not have any opportunity to become entangled with the loom or with other threads.

The parting of the thread between the spent shuttle and the said clamping device occurs prior to the discharge of the spent bobbin from the shuttle, so as to utilize the dropping of the bobbin to draw the parted thread through and beyond the eye of the shuttle before the new weft thread is drawn into the eye, and before the reloaded shuttle is removed from its reloading` position. That part of the old weft thread is thus removed from the field of operations of the .mechanism simultaneously with the reloading of the spent shuttle.

The thread-clamping device remains closed continuously from the time it receives the thread during one replenishing period, until the next replenishing period. During the intervening weaving period it acts in conjunction with the talreup movement of the fabric to carry the remaining end of old filling into the range of another threadparting device, which is arranged to part said end close to the selvage of the fabric. But the utility of the clamping device does not end with the latter thread-parting operation, for the now completely separated portion of old filling remains held by the clamping device after the second threadparting operation. .The clamping device does not open until some time during the next replenishing period, when the weaving mechanism is at rest with the lay at or near its rear position, and if, in the meantime, the attendant does not pick out the piece of thread hanging from the clamping device, said piece will be dropped at a time when the lay is retracted and at rest.

vReferring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form in -which the pres-- ent invention may be embodied:

Figure l represents an end elevation of so much of a weft-replenishing loom as is necessary for present purposes.

Fig. 2 represents a top plan view including a portion of the breast beam, a spent shuttle in bobbin-receiving position, and the thread-parting device and thread-clamping device arranged to act upon the thread between the fabric and the shuttle.

Fig. 3 represents a vertical section, on a larger scale, of the mechanism embraced Within the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the direction of view being the opposite of that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 represents a section in the same plane as Fig. 3, showing the thread-clamping device and thread-parting device in open position to receive the thread.

Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of fragments of the thread-clamping device and thread-parting device.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts Wherever theyT occur.

nasmuch as the loom exclusive of the thread-clamping device and thread-parting device is substantially the same as that shown and described in my former application, a brief description will suiiice for present purposes. While one shuttle ai is being shot bachv and forth through the Warp, another shuttle ai is held in reserve upon a support 10. The shuttle box at the change end of the lay 11 includes the usual binder 12 and a movable shuttle-box front 13. The latter is lifted above the top of the shuttle by suitable mechanism, Which need not be described, Whenever a change of shuttles required, the lay at such times being stationary at or near the position shown by Fig. 1. The support 10 supports the shuttle beneath a bobbin magazine 14 in which a plurality of filled bobbins 15 are held in readiness to replace the spent bobbins in the shuttles. l'Vhenever a spent shuttle is transferred from the shuttle box of the lay to the support 10, a filled bobbin 15 is depressed by a loading device 16 and thereby forced into the shuttle, the spent bobbin 15 (Fig. 2) being discharged through the bettom of the shuttle by the ingoing filled bobbin.

`Whenever replenishment of the weft is required, the two shuttles are interehanged by automatic mechanism which includes a shuttie carrier 17, a shuttle receiver 18, and an ejector (not shown) which pushes the spent shuttle from the lay to the receiv r. Art such time the driving mechanism of the loom is disconnected from the Weaving mechanism and connected to the shuttle-changing mechanism, so that the Weaving mechanism will remain at restuntil the interchange of shuttles has been eifected. 1n the course of changing the shuttles the spent shuttle is pushed from the lay to the receiver 18, the latter is raised to clear a path for the filled shuttle, the carrier 17 moves from the position shown by Fig. 1 toivard the lay, picking up the reserve shuttle fe and carrying it to the required position on the lay. lVhile the carrier 17 is adjacent the lay, the receiver 1S descends to deposit the spent shuttle upon the carrier; and the carrier, having received the spent shuttle, returns to the position shown, depositing the spent shuttle upon the support 10 While returning. 1n

due course the driving mechanism is disconnected from the shuttle-changing mechanism and is connected to the Weaving mechanism, and the loading device 16 ,u is actuated to transfer a filled bobbin 15 from the magazine into the spent shuttle.

Fig. 2 shows one of the shuttles, for example shuttle fc, in tivo positions, dotted lines representing its position upon the lay prior to being transferred, and solid lines representing its bobbin-receiving position upon the support 10. T he thread ruiming from the fabric19 to the spent bobbin is indicated at 20.

The primary thread-parting device is arranged to cut the thread 20 between the fabric and the shuttle. Said device is mounted upon the breast beam 21, and includes a stationary shearino' member 22 and a movable shearing member 23. 'lhe stationary shearing member is affixed to a member 24 which in turn is affixed to the breast beam. The movable shearing member is carried by an arm 25 which is mounted upon a fulcrum stud 26 supported by the member 24. lhe arm 25 is one part of a lever which includes an arm 27, the latter being connected by a pivot member 28 with a link 29. As shoivn by Fig. 3 the lower end of the said link is pivotally connected to one arm 30 of a bellcrank lever, the other arm of which is indicated at 31. The arm 31 is arranged to be engaged and raised by a shoulder 32 of the shuttle carrier 17 as the latter continues to move toward the front of 4the loom after having deposited the spent shuttle upon the loading support 10. When the shuttle carrier moves to transfer the loaded shuttle from the support 10 to the lay, a spring 33 acts to raise the movable shear member 23 to the position shown by Fig. 4. The lower end of said spring is attached to a nature 34, and the upper end is attached to the pivot member 35 by which the link 29 and bellcrank arm 30 are connected.

1n order to insure the parting of the thread 20, 1 have provided a thread-engaging member 36 and mechanism for actuating the latter to move the thread into the space 37 (Fig. 4) While the shear member 23 is raised. The thread-engaging member 36 is in the form of a bell-crank lever and is mounted upon a fulcrum stud 38. rlhe member 36 has an arm 39 which is connected by a pivot stud 40 to one end of a linlr 41. lhe other end of this link is connected by a pivot stud 42 to a cam lever 43. This lever is mounted upon a fulcrum member 44 and is formed With a projection 45 which rides upon a cam 46 carried by shaft 47. This shaft, sometimes called the change shaft, rotates only When the Weaving mechanism is at rest.

So long. as .the Weaving mechanism is in operation the lthread-.engaging ,member 36 the forward position shown by Fig. 1; but when the shuttle-changing mechanism is operating, the cam 46 raises the lever 43, thus moving the upper end of the member 36 toward the rear of the loom, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The curved path of movement traversed by the upper end of member 86 intersects the path traversed by the thread while the spent shuttle is being transferred from the shuttle box of the lay to the loading support. The member 36 is moved to the rear in time to clear a path for the thread 20, and after the thread has passed over the upper end of the member 36 the cam 46 permits the lever 43 to descend,

said lever, by its own weight, causing the upper end of the member 36 to follow after the thread. In order to take care of sagging of the thread, due to slack, the member 36 is provided with a spur 4S on its front side. This spur will move under the thread, and in case the thread has enough slack to permit appreciable sag, the spur will engage the thread and lift it sufficiently to carry it into the space 37 between the shearing members i2 and 23. The cam 4:6 is timed to place the thread between the shearing members before the latter have been closed to a prohibitive extent, and the parting of the thread is thus assured.

The weft end that remains attached to the fabric would drop and possibly become entangled with other objects if some means were not provided for disposing of it after the aforesaid parting operation. I have therefore provided a thread clamping device and a secondary thread parting device, which in the present instance, are arranged to act in conjunction with the takeup movement of the fabric to part the weft end close to the selva-ge. The stationary member Q4 hereinbefore mentioned is one element of the thread-clamping device, and the. thread is clamped against it by a movable thread-engaging member 50. The member is connected by a pivot stud 51 to the member 24. A plunger 52 is pivotally connected to the member 50 by a pivot member 58 and is arranged to slide longitudinally through a hole formed in a finger 54. A compression spring 55 surrounds the plunger 52 and is seated against the finger 5% and against a washer 56 carried b v the plunger. The eect of the spring is to move the thread-engaging portion of the member 50 against the thread-engaging surface 57' of the member 24. The member 50 is retractedl against the stress of the spring 55 by a pin 58 carried by the arm 25 and arranged 1n a hole 59 formed in the member 50. As

shown by Fig. et, the thread-parting device' member 50 to close upon the thread, the angular movement of the member 50 being more rapid than that of the shear member because of the shorter radius of the member 50. The thread is therefore clamped before it is parted, although the clamping movement and partingmovement begin simulta-l neously. It is thus assured that the weft end that remains attached to the fabric will be held by the clamping device until the shuttle carrier 17 again moves to transfer a loaded shuttle from the support 10 to the lay. In the meantime, however, the remaining weft end held by the clamping device will have been parted close to the fabric by a temple thread-cutter such as that indicated conventionally at 60. 1 have not attempted to illustrate the details of the tem`- ple thread cutter, because such details are immaterial for present purposes.

The weft end is carried forward by the takeup movement of the fabric but the clamping device supports it continuously so that it will not fail to find its way into the parting device 60. Then, when it has been parted by the latter, the remnant thereof continues to be held by the clamping device until the next replenishing period.

I claim:

1. ln a weft-replenishing loom having weaving mechanism and shuttle-changing mechanism arranged to operate alternately,

means arranged to clamp a thread continuously from one shuttle-changing period to the next, means arranged to move the thread 'extending from the fabric to the spent shuttle into potential position relatively to said clamping means, means arranged to part said thread between said clamping means and the spent shuttle, and means arranged to discharge the spent weft-carrier from the spent shuttle after said thread has been parted as aforesaid.

2. 1n a weft-replenishing loom .having weaving mechanism and shuttle-changing mechanism arranged to operate alternately, means arranged to clamp a thread continuously from one shuttle-changing period to the next, means arranged to move the thread extending from the fabric to the spent shuttle into potential position relatively to said clamping means, and means arranged to part the thread extending from the fabric to said clamping means.

In a weft-replenishing loom havingr weaving mechanism and shuttle-changing mechanism arranged to operate alternately. means arranged to clamp a thread continuously from one shuttle-changing period to the next, means arranged to move the thread extending from the fabric to the spent shuttle into potential position relatively to said clamping means, means arranged to part said thread between said clamping means and the spent shuttle, means arranged to discharge the. spent weft-carrier from the spent shuttle after the thread has been parted as aforesaid, and means arranged to part the thread extending from the fabric to said clamping means.

4. In a weft-replenishing Icom, in combination, a shuttle box, a 'shuttle-carrier and operating mechanism therefor arranged to carry a spent shuttle away from said shuttle box, a threadclamping device arranged to clamp the thread running from the fabric to such shuttle, and operating means for said clamping device arranged to Vbe actuated by said carrier.

5. In a weft-re} alenishing loom, in combination. a shuttle box, a shuttle-carrier and ,operating mechanism therefor arranged to carry a spent shuttle away frcm said shuttle box, a thread-clamping device arranged to clamp the thread. ruiming from the fabric to such shuttle, operating means for said clamping device arranged to be actuated by said carrier, and thread-cutting means arranged to cut such thread between said clamping device and the shuttle.

6 In a weft-replenishing ioom, in combination, a shuttle box, a shuttle-carrier and operating mechanism therefor arranged to carry a spent shuttle away from said shuttle box, a thread-clamping device arranged to clamp the thread running from the fabric to such shuttle, a thread-cutting device arranged to cut such thread between said clamping device and the shuttle, and means arranged to be actuated by said carrier to operate said devices.

7. In a weft-replenishing 10cm, in combination, a shuttle box, a shuttle-carrier and operating mechanism therefor arranged to carry a sgent shuttle away from said shuttle box, a thread-clamping device arranged to clamp the thread running from the fabric to such shuttle, thread-cutting device arranged to cut such thread between said clamping device and the shuttle, and means arranged to'be actuated by said carrier to ciose said clamping device and operate said cutting device.

8. In a weft-replenishing loom having weaving mechanism and shuttie-changing mechanism arranged to operate alternately, thread-parting means arranged to operate during the shuttle-changing period. threadparting means arranged to operate during the weaving period, and thread-clamping means arranged to clamp the thread runmeans, said clamping means being arranged to hoid said thread continuously through a period including the thread-parting opera-- tions of both said thread-parting means.

9. In a weft-replenishing loom having a change shuttie box, means arranged to interchange the spent shuttle in said shuttle box and a filled shuttle, means arranged to clamp the thread that extends from the fabric to the spent shuttle, means arranged to part the clamped thread between said clamping means and the spent' shuttle, and means arranged to discharge the spent weft-carrier from the spent shuttle after said thread has been parted as aforesaid.

10. In a weft-replenishing loom having a change shuttle box, and means to support a spare shuttle, means arranged to inter-I change the spent shuttle in said shuttle box and a filled shuttle on said supporting means, means arranged to clamp the thread that extends from the fabric to the spent shuttle on said supporting means, and means arranged to part the clamped thread between said clamping means and the fabric.

1l. In a weft-repienishing loom having a change shuttle box, means arranged to inter change the spent shuttle in said shuttle box and a filled shuttle, means arranged to clamp the thread that extends from the fabric to the spent shuttle, means arranged to part the clamped thread between said clamping means and the spent shuttle, means arranged to discharge the spent weft-carrier from the spent shuttle after said thread has been parted as aforesaid and means arranged to part the clamped weft-end between said ciamping'means and the fabric.

12. I weft-replenishing 10cm comprising, in combination, a shuttle-box, mechanism arranged to remove a spent shuttle from and to return it to said shuttle-box, means arran-ed to clamp the thread of the spent shuttle between the latter and the fabric, means arranged to part the thread between said clamping means and the shuttle, and means arranged to put a full bobbin into the shuttie between its removal from and return tothe shuttle-box vby said mechanism.

13. A weft-replenishing loom comprising', in combination, a thread-parting device arranged to part an outlying weft-thread end close to the selvage, a shuttle-box, mechanism arranged to remove a spent shuttle from and te return it to said shuttle-box, means arranged to clamp the shuttle-thread between the spent shuttle and the point to be parted by said parting device, means arranged to part the thread between the spent shuttle and said clamping means, and means arranged to put a full bobbin into the spent shuttle during its period of removal by said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. Y

IVILLIAM L. BAR-BELL. 

